Esquimalt police panel ceases to exist

Future meetings of Esquimalt’s Policing and Law Enforcement Advisory Panel are cancelled with the dissolution Saturday (June 30) of the volunteer panel.

The next instalment in the series of monthly public meetings had been scheduled to happen next Wednesday (July 4) at 5 p.m. at municipal hall.

The panel, created by the Ministry of Justice in 2010, had the job of choosing a preferred policing provider. Its request to contract with the RCMP was denied by the province last Wednesday.

Esquimalt is now considering forming its own special advisory committee on policing and law enforcement. Justice Minister Shirley Bond has recommended that two community advisory committees be created to provide input on policing issues.